Warhead system

ABSTRACT

1. In a warhead system, in combination: A. A non-nuclear explosive charge, B. More than one detonator device each of which is spaced-apart from the others and located in cooperating relation to said explosive charge and each of which is exploded only by a highvoltage electrical energy charge, C. Storage means operable to contain a high-voltage electrical energy charge, D. A trigger control means which is connected to said storage means and which conducts a high-voltage electrical energy charge only when activated by a separate low-voltage electrical energy charge, E. More than one interlock control means each of which connects one of said detonator devices in conducting relation to said trigger control means and each of which conducts a high-voltage electrical energy charge only when activated by a separate lowvoltage electrical energy charge, F. First conductor means which conducts an activating lowvoltage electrical energy charge to each of less than all of said interlock control means to thereby impart selected directionality to the explosion of said explosive charge caused by said detonator devices, and G. Second conductor means which conducts an activating lowvoltage electrical energy charge to said trigger control means thereby causing high-voltage electrical energy to be conducted from said storage means simultaneously to those detonator devices which cooperate with the interlock control means activated by said first conductor means. This invention relates generally to warhead systems, and particularly concerns a form of warhead system which may be advantageously utilized in connection with missile-like weapons which are intended for use in accomplishing intercept-kill missions. Our invention has specific application to a type of warhead system which produces a directionally controlled fragmentation beam and which is provided with a non-nuclear explosive charge that is detonated by the initiation of one or more detonator devices located at particular detonation points to produce that beam, such particular detonation points (and detonator devices) being fewer in number than all of the detonation points (and detonator devices) associated with the system explosive charge. A low-voltage fuze signal developed by a conventional fuzing computer is effectively employed in connection with our invention. Such signal, in its preferred form, has at least two basic parts. The first portion of the low-Voltage fuze signal is, in relation to our invention, computer-developed to select the particular combination of detonator devices which must be initiated to establish the instantly-desired directionality of the explosion fragment beam; such selection portion of the fuze signal is subject to frequent change during a typical missileintercept mission. The other portion of the low-voltage fuze signal is developed in the conventional fuzing computer to establish the proper initiation time. The two parts or portions of the low-voltage fuze signal may be developed using known techniques related to conventional fuzing computers. Our invention makes use of a stored charge of high-voltage electrical energy to complete the simultaneous initiation of a selected number of a greater quantity of detonator devices cooperating with the warhead system non-nuclear explosive charge. The electrical energy charge is developed upon arming of the waRhead system. However, the electrical energy charge also is prevented from immediately initiating any detonator device in the system by a trigger control and by an interlock control operably connected in series. In our invention the two-part, low-voltage fuze signal is used to activate the series-connected trigger control and interlock control to complete the warhead system initiation. Because of the manner in which the trigger control and interlock control are interconnected in relation to the stored electrical energy charge and the warhead system detonator devices, we are able to permit continual changing of the selection of high-voltage-responsive detonator device combinations without subjecting the warhead system to premature detonation and without incurring any loss in system response to a fuze timing signal. An important object of this invention is to provide a means for selectively initiating one or more of a greater number of detonator devices which cooperate with a warhead system nonnuclear explosive charge. Another object of this invention is to provide means for selectively initiating one or more of a greater number of detonator devices which respond to high-voltage energy inputs to detonate a non-nuclear explosive charge with a capability for being regulated by essentially low-voltage fuze signals. A still further object of this invention is to provide means for selectively initiating one or more of a greater number of detonator devices which cooperate with a warhead system nonnuclear explosive charge with a capability for responding to changes in selection of particular detonator device combinations without subjecting the explosive charge to premature detonation. Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent during a consideration of the description and drawings.

United States Patent Harr et al.

[ 51 May 9,1972

[54] WARHEAD SYSTEM {72] Inventors: Raymond W. Harr, Columbus; Mathew Rothman, Gahanna, both of Ohio [73] Assignee: North American Rockwell Corporation [22] Filed: July 25, 1963 [21 Appl. No.: 297,525

..... ..102/70.2 R, lOZ/DIG. 2, 102/56 [52] U.S.Cl

560,316 ll/l955 Italy ..102/70.2

Primary E.\aminerBenjamin A. Borchelt Assistant Examiner-Thomas I-I. Webb Attorney-William R. Lane and Daniel H. Dunbar ABSTRACT 1. In a warhead system, in combination:

a. A non-nuclear explosive charge,

b. More than one detonator device each of which is spacedapart from the others and located in cooperating relation to said explosive charge and each of which is exploded only by a high-voltage electrical energy charge,

c. Storage means operable to contain a high-voltage electrical energy charge,

d. A trigger control means which is connected to said storage means and which conducts a high-voltage electrical energy charge only when activated by a separate low-voltage electrical energy charge,

e. More than one interlock control means each of which connects one of said detonator devices in conducting relation to said trigger control means and each of which conducts a high-voltage electrical energy charge only when activated by a separate low-voltage electrical energy charge,

f. First conductor means which conducts an activating lowvoltage electrical energy charge to each of less than all of said interlock control means to thereby impart selected directionality to the explosion of said explosive charge caused by said detonator devices, and

g. Second conductor means which conducts an activating lowvoltage electrical energy charge to said trigger control means thereby causing high-voltage electrical energy to be conducted from said storage means simultaneously to those detonator devices which cooperate with the interlock control means activated by said first conductor means.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures WARIIEAD SYSTEM This invention relates generally to warhead systems, and

particularly concerns a form of warhead system which may be advantageously utilized in connection with missile-like weapons which are intended for use in accomplishing intercept-kill missions. Our invention has specific application to a type of warhead system which produces a directionally controlled fragmentation beam and which is provided with a nonnuclear explosive charge that is detonated by the initiation of one or more detonator devices located at particular detonation points to produce that beam, such particular detonation points (and detonator devices) being fewer in number than all of the detonation points (and detonator devices) associated with the system explosive charge.

A low-voltage fuze signal developed by a conventional fuzing computer is effectively employed in connection with our invention. Such signal, in its preferred form, has at least two basic parts. The first portion of the low-Voltage fuze signal is, in relation to our invention, computer-developed to select the particular combination of detonator devices which must be initiated to establish the instantly-desired directionality of the explosion fragment beam; such selection portion of the fuze signal is subject to frequent change during a typical missile-intercept mission. The other portion of the low-voltage fuze signal is developed in the conventional fuzing computer to establish the proper initiation time. The two parts or portions of the low-voltage fuze signal may be developed using known techniques related to conventional fuzing computers.

Our invention makes use of a stored charge of high-voltage electrical energy to complete the simultaneous initiation of a selected number of a greater quantity of detonator devices cooperating with the warhead system non-nuclear explosive charge. The electrical energy charge is developed upon arming of the warhead system. However, the electrical energy charge also is prevented from immediately initiating any detonator device in the system by a trigger control and by an interlock control operably connected in series. In our invention the two-part, low-voltage fuze signal is used to activate the series-connected trigger control and interlock control to complete the warhead system initiation. Because of the manner in which the trigger control and interlock control are interconnected in relation to the stored electrical energy charge and the warhead system detonator devices, we are able to permit continual changing of the selection of high-voltageresponsive detonator device combinations without subjecting the warhead system to premature detonation and without incurring any loss in system response to a fuze timing signal.

An important object of this invention is to provide a means for selectively initiating one or more of a greater number of detonator devices which cooperate with a warhead system non-nuclear explosive charge.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for selectively initiating one or more of a greater number of detonator devices which respond to high-voltage energy inputs to detonate a non-nuclear explosive charge with a capability for being regulated by essentially low-voltage fuze signals.

A still further object of this invention is to provide means for selectively initiating one or more of a greater number of detonator devices which cooperate with a warhead system non-nuclear explosive charge with a capability for responding to changes in selection of particular detonator device combinations without subjecting the explosive charge to premature detonation.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent during a consideration of the description and drawings.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a missile-like weapon incorporating the warhead system of our invention;

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the initiating means included in the warhead system of the missile-like weapon illustrated in FIG. I; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the components included in a preferred embodiment of the initiation means illustrated by FIG. 2.

FIG. 1 illustrates a missile 10 having a warhead system essentially comprised of non-nuclear explosive charge 11 and initiating means 12. Such explosive charge and initiating means are housed within missile body 13. Missile 10 is intended for use in accomplishing an intercept-kill mission and its improved capability is established, in part, by use of a warhead system explosive charge having a multiplicity of high-voltageresponsive devices. Only a portion of such detonator devices, however, are initiated in any mission situation to develop a desired highly directional explosion fragment beam. In the FIG. 1 arrangement, explosive charge 11 is illustrated as having three high-voltage detonator devices designated 14. FIG. 2, however, discloses and initiating means arrangement having five individual detonator device functions. It should be understood that there is no requirement, in the practice of this invention, for any specific number of detonator devices. In a typical application as many as fifty such devices may be utilized with explosion directionality being controlled by selectively initiating as few as from one to four of the total number of devices which are provided.

FIG. 2 illustrates the initiating means 12 of our invention through use of a functional block diagram. The means includes an electrical energy source 15. A safety and arming function 16 is employed to isolate electrical energy source 15 from the remaining portion of initiating means 12 until actual arming of the warhead system is required. It should be noted, however, that use of the safety and arming function is basically optional and is not absolutely necessary to obtain the important advantages of our invention. An initiation energy conversion function 17 is incorporated in means 12 to develop a high-voltage electrical energy charge having the characteristics which are required to initiate the warhead system non-nuclear explosive charge detonator devices. Function 17 is mandatory whenever source 15 does not have the requisite voltage level characteristic. In one application energy conversion means 17 is typically included in system 12 to develop a high-voltage electrical energy charge (e.g., 2,500 volts DC) from an essentially low-voltage electrical energy source (e.g., 28 volts DC). Function 18 is provided in the system to store (and make immediately available at all times during operation of the system) the initiation energy charge which is developed by functions 15 and 17 when the system is armed. Storage function 18, however, is isolated from all of the. warhead system detonator devices 19 by trigger control 20 and by interlock controls 21. Such control functions, as to each of the system detonator devices, are operably connected in series and are activated by separately developed, low-voltage conventional fuze signal.

In typical applications of our invention the warhead system is armed after the missile is safely launched. During the major portion of the missile intercept flight course a fuzing computer of conventional design provides a changing selection signal for activating the interlock controls 21 for that combination of detonator devices 19 that is instantly effective to obtain optimum explosive charge fragmentation beam directionality. The conventional fuzing computer also functions to provide a firing signal for activating trigger control 20 at a proper time in the terminal encounter portion of the missile intercept course. When trigger control 20 and the appropriate interlock controls 21 are simultaneously activated, the combination of detonator devices 19 selected by the fuzing computer are instantly initiated by the electrical energy charge stored in function 18.

A preferred embodiment of the initiation means functionally disclosed by FIG. 2 is provided in FIG. 3. In its FIG. 3 form, initiation means 12 includes an electrical energy source 15 shown as storage battery 23. Storage battery 23 is capable of providing the energy requirement for initiating the required minimum number of detonator devices 19. In one arrangement of our invention we have employed a storage battery capable of producing direct-current electrical energy at a potential of 28 volts.

Safety and arming function 16, if employed in the practice of this invention, may be accomplished by use of series-connected switches. In the related FIG. 3 arrangement, such switches consist of normally open, acceleration-responsive switch 24 and the switch component parts designated 25 through 28. Component parts 25 through 28 comprise a switch which is sometimes referred to as an explosive switch. Switch 24 is typically selected to complete a circuit to source when subjected to high-level accelerations. For instance, missile accelerations approaching 1,500 feet per second per second are sometimes required to activate switch 24. Normally, an intercept-kill missile having a non-nuclear explosive charge in its warhead system can be safely armed when the missile vehicle has been launched and attains that level of acceleration. When switch 24 is closed, the circuit to source 15 is completed through contacts 25 by reason of their engagement with sliding contact 26. The completed circuit operates to explode gas generator 27 thus causing sliding contact 26 to be moved into permanent engagement with contacts 28. By this operation, initiation means 12 becomes armed for subsequent activation of its detonator devices 19 at a proper time. Although not shown, power source 15 (together with arming function 16) may be additionally arranged to energize a conventional fuzing computer capable of using the low-voltage energy developed at source 15.

Since practical embodiments of our invention typically include a low-voltage electrical energy source to power highvoltage detonator devices 19, function 17 is necessary to provide the electrical energy furnished by source 15 with a highvoltage value. To accomplish this objective function 17 may take the FIG. 3 form of a motor-alternator set 29; a typical output for set 29 is alternating-current electrical energy having a potential of 2500 volts. A further component, rectifier 30, is provided for converting the high-voltage alternatingcurrent energy produced at component 29 to high-voltage direct-current electrical energy which might be suitably stored for subsequent immediate use and to comprise the energy charge essential to initiation of the system detonator devices.

The output energy of conversion unit 17 (rectifier 30) may be stored at a means 18 having the form of capacitors 31. Capacitors 31 are connected in parallel and are sized to store an electrical energy charge which is sufficient to initiate the predetermined number of detonator devices necessary for effective warhead system explosive charge directionality control. Resistor 32 is provided in storage function 18 for bleedoff purposes. It is employed primarily to remove the charge from the capacitor bank in connection with ground check-out operations for the entire system. Additionally, bleed-off resistor 32 develops a fail-safe capability for the system during flight. The resistance value of component 32 is selected to reduce the charge on capacitors 31 to a safe level (e.g., 500 volts DC) only after a predetermined minimum time period. A typical bleed-off time may be as little as 30 seconds.

In the FIG. 3 arrangement, system high-voltage detonator devices 19 are illustrated in the form of well-known exploding bridgewire detonators 34 through 38. Each of such detonator devices cooperates with an interlock control 21 and each includes a lead 39. Such leads serve to couple the system detonator devices to the common line extended from trigger control 20. Also, each such lead preferably has a high-impedance characteristic. The circuit through each of devices 34 through 38 and to source 15 is completed by a low-impedance lead designated 40. Each of exploding bridgewire detonators 34 through 38, if receiving electrical energy (e.g., l to 2 joules) at a high-potential (e.g., 2,000 to 2,500 volts DC), explodes with sufficient intensity to detonate an included secondary explosive (e.g., PETN, RDX, or the like). Detonation of main explosive charge 11 follows. The quantity of electrical energy stored on capacitors 31 is sufficient to accomplish initiation of the particular combination of detonator devices required by the system to develop an optimumly effective fragmentation beam. However, conduction of the stored electrical energy from function 18 to select detonator devices 19 cannot be effected without the simultaneous activation of trigger control function 20 and interlock controls 21.

Trigger control function 20 in the FIG. 3 arrangement takes the form of spark-gap element 33. Spark-gap 33 is, in effect, reverse-biased and prevents the passage therethrough of elec trical energy otherwise stored at function 18 until a biasremoving, low-voltage timing signal is received from the weapon system fuzing computer. The voltage value for such timing signal may typically be as little as 10 volts DC. Alternate embodiments of function 20 might make use of a silicon control rectifier or a thyratron tube.

In the FIG. 3 arrangement, interlock controls 21 take the form of individual saturable-core reactors 41 through 45. Each such reactor has a core element which is provided with a gate winding 46 and with a control winding 47. Gate windings 46 each comprise an additional part of a detonator device lead 39; each of control windings 47, on the other hand, is operably connected to an input terminal which preferably receives a low-voltage selection signal from a fuzing computer. Such selection fuze signal may typically have a 10 volt DC characteristic. Such selection signal, further, is conducted from the fuzing computer only to particular control windings 47, such particular control windings being less than all the control windings in the initiation means.

The function of a saturable-core (41-45) as to a detonator device (34-38) is: (l) to control the selection of that detonator device for initiation to the exclusion of other detonator devices included in the warhead system, and (2) to match the total inductance of the lead to that detonator device to the total inductance of the lead to each other detonator device selected for initiation to thereby a assure the simultaneous initiation of all detonator devices included in the preferred combination. When a low-voltage selection signal is provided by the fuzing computer to a particular control winding 47, the reactor device associated therewith becomes core-saturated and the impedance of the cooperating gate winding 46 is lowered sufficiently to allow electrical energy, if gated through trigger control 20, to flow freely to the associated exploding bridgewire detonator. Such energy flow is limited only by the effective inductance of the saturated gate winding 46, by the characteristic high-level impedance of a lead 39, and by the effective impedance of the exploding bridgewater detonator. In the absence of core saturation by a low-voltage fuze selection signal, the impedance of the associated gate winding is sufficiently high to prevent the related detonator device from being initiated by the high-voltage charge gated through trigger control 20 to the connected leads 39. For optimum energy transfer, the combined impedance of the lead and the gate winding is matched to the impedance of the exploding bridgewire detonator. Also, it is preferred that the impedance of each gate winding 46 be significantly greater than the impedance of the associated lead 39 so as it might be the controlling factor in circuit performance. The gate winding inductances are matched throughout the warhead system so as to provide a system capability for assuring simultaneous current build-up in all the detonator devices which are selected for a particular initiation. If desired, a low-voltage-responsive magnetic reed switch and an inductance-matching coil may be combined and substituted for each saturable reactor to develop an equivalent interlock control function.

Modern weapon systems often incorporate a conventional fuzing computer particularly designed using state-of-the-art techniques to meet the performance requirements of a specific application. In the case of our invention we require that the fuzing computer develop a two-part, low-voltage signal. One part of the fuze signal is for timing purposes; in FIG. 3 such timing signal is introduced into the equipment at terminal 48. The other part of the fuze signal is developed to select the particular combination of less than all the system detonator devices which, in accordance with the fuze computer program, is to be initiated to achieve a specific fragmentation beam direction for explosive charge 11. In the FIG. 3 arrangement, the selection signals are introduced into the equipment at certain of input terminals 49 through 53. Such terminals are operably connected to the control windings 47 of saturable-core reactors 41 through 45, respectively. Terminals 54 is connected to a common lead for completing the circuits for any particular combination of selection signals.

Several comments are in order wit respect to the use of more than one detonator device to initiate the explosion of a warhead system non-nuclear charge. From the standpoint of initiating an explosion, the activation of one detonator device is sufficient. However, the simultaneous initiation of two or more spaced-apart detonator devices can be advantageously utilized to establish an apparent fragmentation beam wave front initiation point which is located intermediate the respective positions of the initiated devices. By use of such an approach, fragmentation beam aiming error can be minimized. Altemately, the required number of system detonator devices is minimized for a given aiming accuracy. Referring to the three in-line and equally spaced-apart detonator devices 14 shown in FIG. 1, the simultaneous initiation of any two adjacent devices establishes an apparent explosion initiation point mid-way between such devices. The resulting fragmentation beam directionality is different than that resulting from the initiation of either such device alone. Similar considerations pertain to the initiation of three or more spaced-apart detonator devices not positioned in in-line relation.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred embodiments of the same, but that various changes in the proportioning, size, and detail of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

We claim:

1. In a warhead system, in combination:

a. A non-nuclear explosive charge,

b. More than one detonator device each of which is spacedapart from the others and located in cooperating relation to said explosive charge and each of which is exploded only by a high-voltage electrical energy charge,

. Storage means operable to contain a high-voltage electrical energy charge,

d. A trigger control means which is connected to said storage means and which conducts a high-voltage electrical energy charge only when activated by a separate lowvoltage electrical energy charge,

More than one interlock control means each of which connects one of said detonator devices in conducting relation to said trigger control means and each of which conducts a high-voltage electrical energy charge only when activated by a separate low-voltage electrical energy charge,

First conductor means which conducts an activating lowvoltage electrical energy charge to each of less than all of said interlock control means to thereby impart selected directionality to the explosion of said explosive charge caused by said detonator devices, and

. Second conductor means which conducts an activating low-voltage electrical energy charge to said trigger control means thereby causing high-voltage electrical energy to be conducted from said storage means simultaneously to those detonator devices which cooperate with the interlock control means activated by said first conductor means.

2. in a warhead system, in combination:

a. A non-nuclear explosive charge,

b. More than one detonator device each of which is spacedapart from the others and located in cooperating relation to said explosive charge and each of which is exploded only by a high-voltage electrical energy charge,

c. Storage means operable to contain a high-voltage electrical energy char e d. More than one igh-impedance lead line each of which is connected to one of said detonator devices to establish an initiation circuit,

e. A trigger control means which is connected to said storage means and to each of said high-impedance lead lines and which conducts a high-voltage electrical energy charge only when activated by a separate low-voltage electrical energy charge,

More than one interlock control means each of which cooperates with one of said high-impedance lead lines and each of which reduces the impedance of the lead line cooperating therewith when activated by a low-voltage electrical energy charge, and

g. Conductor means which conducts an impedance-lowering low-voltage electrical energy charge to each of less than all of said interlock control means and which conducts a separate low-voltage electrical energy charge to said trigger control means to thereby simultaneously detonate selected detonator devices to impart directionality to the explosion of said explosive charge.

3. In a warhead system, in combination:

A non-nuclear explosive charge,

More than one detonator device each of which is spacedapart from the others thereof and located in cooperating relation to said explosive charge and each of which is exploded only by a high-voltage electrical energy charge,

. Storage means operable to contain a high-voltage electrical energy charge,

d. More than one high-impedance lead line each of which is connected to one of said detonator devices to establish an initiation circuit therefor and each of which has a gate winding that has a high-impedance characteristic relative to a high-voltage electrical energy charge,

e. A trigger control means which is connected to said storage means and to each of said detonator devices through said high-impedance lead lines and which conducts a high-voltage electrical energy charge only when activated by a separate low-voltage electrical energy charge,

Interlock control windings each of which cooperates with one of said lead lines and each of which conducts a saturating current when activated by low-voltage electrical energy charge,

g. More than one saturable core each of which cooperates with one of said control windings and with one of said lead line gate windings and each of which reduces the impedance of the lead line associated therewith when activated by a saturating current received from one of said interlock control windings, and

h. Conductor means which conducts a low-voltage electrical energy charge to less than all of said control windings to thereby saturate less than all of said saturable cores and reduce the impedance of less than all of said lead lines and which conducts an activating low-voltage electrical energy charge to said trigger control means to thereby simultaneously detonate less than all of said detonator devices and impart selected directionality to the explosion of said explosive charge caused by said detonator devices. 

1. In a warhead system, in combination: a. A non-nuclear explosive charge, b. More than one detonator device each of which is spaced-apart from the others and located in cooperating relation to said explosive charge and each of which is exploded only by a highvoltage electrical energy charge, c. Storage means operable to contain a high-voltage electrical energy charge, d. A trigger control means which is connected to said storage means and which conducts a high-voltage electrical energy charge only when activated by a separate low-voltage electrical energy charge, e. More than one interlock control means each of which connects one of said detonator devices in conducting relation to said trigger control means and each of which conducts a high-voltage electrical energy charge only when activated by a separate lowvoltage electrical energy charge, f. First conductor means which conducts an activating lowvoltage electrical energy charge to each of less than all of said interlock control means to thereby impart selected directionality to the explosion of said explosive charge caused by said detonator devices, and g. Second conductor means which conducts an activating lowvoltage electrical energy charge to said trigger control means thereby causing high-voltage electrical energy to be conducted from said storage means simultaneously to those detonator devices which cooperate with the interlock control means activated by said first conductor means.
 2. In a warhead system, in combination: a. A non-nuclear explosive charge, b. More than one detonator device each of which is spaced-apart from the others and located in cooperating relation to said explosive charge and each of which is exploded only by a high-voltage electrical energy charge, c. Storage means operable to contain a high-voltage electrical energy charge, d. More than one high-impedance lead line each of which is connected to one of said detonator devices to establish an initiation circuit, e. A trigger control means which is connected to said storage means and to each of said high-impedance lead lines and which conducts a high-voltage electrical energy charge only when activated by a separate low-voltage electrical energy charge, f. More than one interlock control means each of which cooperates with one of said high-impedance lead lines and each of which reduces the impedance of the lead line cooperating therewith when activated by a low-voltage electrical energy charge, and g. Conductor means which conducts an impedance-lowering low-voltage electrical energy charge to each of less than all of said interlock control means and which conducts a separate low-voltage electrical energy charge to said trigger control means to thereby simultaneously dEtonate selected detonator devices to impart directionality to the explosion of said explosive charge.
 3. In a warhead system, in combination: a. A non-nuclear explosive charge, b. More than one detonator device each of which is spaced-apart from the others thereof and located in cooperating relation to said explosive charge and each of which is exploded only by a high-voltage electrical energy charge, c. Storage means operable to contain a high-voltage electrical energy charge, d. More than one high-impedance lead line each of which is connected to one of said detonator devices to establish an initiation circuit therefor and each of which has a gate winding that has a high-impedance characteristic relative to a high-voltage electrical energy charge, e. A trigger control means which is connected to said storage means and to each of said detonator devices through said high-impedance lead lines and which conducts a high-voltage electrical energy charge only when activated by a separate low-voltage electrical energy charge, f. Interlock control windings each of which cooperates with one of said lead lines and each of which conducts a saturating current when activated by low-voltage electrical energy charge, g. More than one saturable core each of which cooperates with one of said control windings and with one of said lead line gate windings and each of which reduces the impedance of the lead line associated therewith when activated by a saturating current received from one of said interlock control windings, and h. Conductor means which conducts a low-voltage electrical energy charge to less than all of said control windings to thereby saturate less than all of said saturable cores and reduce the impedance of less than all of said lead lines and which conducts an activating low-voltage electrical energy charge to said trigger control means to thereby simultaneously detonate less than all of said detonator devices and impart selected directionality to the explosion of said explosive charge caused by said detonator devices. 